The Heart of the Matter
The Heart of the Matter is a case featured in Criminal Case as the forty-second case of Mysteries of the Past (Season 4) and the two-hundred thirteenth case overall. It is the final case to take place in the Wolf Street district of Concordia. Plot After receiving word of her murder, Isaac and the player went to Deputy Mayor Sandra Hwang's study to collect her strangled body, with her heart ripped out of her chest. Later, Constable Ramirez reported a bomb in the Douphol mansion due to hearing a ticking noise there. Upon further investigation, the sound turned out to be coming from the victim's beating heart. Afterwards, Elisa Melody accidentally threw a slice of cake at Isaac, and then punched Archie Rochester in the face during an argument. The team eventually found enough evidence to arrest Larry Rochester for the murder. After admitting to the murder, Larry said that Hwang was corrupt, distracting officials from investigating the Rochesters. However, upon Leopold Rochester's arrest, Hwang threatened to turn in Larry, who was the real mastermind behind the fake Concordia Telephone Company bonds. To stop her, Larry strangled her and took her heart out to delay the investigation. Judge Lawson sentenced him to 50 years in jail. After the trial, Leopold was released but distraught over his son's arrest. Later on, Maddie and the player helped Viola confirm that Horatio Rochester was her father. Viola and the player then talked to her mother Beatrice, who said that he had impregnated her when she was a maid in the Rochester household. After finding a document backing up the claims, the two confronted Horatio, who welcomed Viola with open arms upon finding out that she was a part of the Squad. Meanwhile, Steven Hwang claimed that the Rochesters were in league with the devil, prompting Isaac and the player to search the study where they found a golden pentagram medallion. The two then talked to Lady Highmore, who said many of the Rochesters' enemies had died in "freak accidents" in Grim Chapel. Following these events, the Squad went to Grim Chapel to further investigate the Rochesters. Summary Victim *'Sandra Hwang' (found in her home with her heart cut out) Murder Weapon *'Rope' Killer *'Larry Rochester' Suspects SHwangMOTPPC213.png|Steven Hwang EMelodyMOTPPC213.png|Elisa Melody HRochesterMOTPPC213.png|Horatio Rochester LROchesterMOTPPC213.png|Larry Rochester ARochesterMOTPPC213.png|Archie Rochester Quasi-suspect(s) VPembertonMOTPQC209.png|Viola Pemberton LHighmoreMOTPPQ210.png|Lady Highmore BPembertonMOTPQC209.png|Beatrice Pemberton Killer's Profile *The killer drinks sangria. *The killer reads Edgar Allan Poe. *The killer knows clockworks. *The killer has A+ blood type. *The killer has scratches. Crime Scenes CrimeScene_Deputy_Mayor's_Study.png|Deputy Mayor's Study CrimeScene_Study's_Fireplace.png|Study's Fireplace CrimeScene_Party_Buffet.png|Party Buffet CrimeScene_Party_Table.png|Party Table CrimeScene_Courtyard.png|Courtyard CrimeScene_Parked_Car.png|Parked Car Steps Chapter 1 *Investigate Deputy Mayor's Study. (Clues: Broken Mirror, Victim's Body; New Suspect: Steven Hwang; Victim identified: Sandra Hwang) *Talk with Steve Hwang about his wife's murder. (Prerequisite: Deputy Mayor's Study investigated; New Crime Scene Unlocked: Party Buffet) *Investigate Party Buffet. (Prerequisite: Steven interrogated; Clues: Faded Card, Party Costumes) *Examine Faded Card. (Result: Card Details; New Suspect: Elisa Melody) *Question Elisa Melody about the masked ball. (Prerequisite: Card Details unraveled) *Examine Party Costumes. (Result: Cufflinks) *Examine Cufflinks. (New Suspect: Horatio Rochester) *Ask Horatio Rochester about his presence at the masked ball. (Prerequisite: Horatio Rochester identified) *Examine Broken Mirror. (Result: Bloody Message) *Analyze Bloody Message. (03:00:00; Attribute: The killer reads Edgar Allan Poe) *Autopsy Victim's Body. (18:00:00; Attribute: The killer drinks sangria) *Go to Chapter 2. (No stars) Chapter 2 *Investigate Courtyard. (Available after unlocking Chapter 2; Clues: Golden Crown, Locked Chest, Open Notebook) *Examine Golden Crown. (Result: Larry's Name; New Suspect: Larry Rochester) *Question Larry Rochester about his presence at masked ball. (Prerequisite: Larry's Name unraveled; Profile updated: Larry drinks sangria) *Examine Locked Chest. (Result: Beating Heart) *Autopsy Beating Heart. (12:00:00; Attribute: The killer knows clockworks; New Crime Scene Unlocked: Study's Fireplace) *Investigate Study's Fireplace. (Prerequisite: Beating Heart analyzed; Clues: Broken Frame, Trash Can) *Examine Broken Frame. (Result: Framed Picture) *Ask Horatio Rochester about the photo of him and the victim. (Prerequisite: Framed Picture unraveled; Profile updated: Horatio drinks sangria) *Examine Trash Can. (Result: Porcelain Angel) *Question Mr Hwang about the discarded anniversary gift. (Prerequisite: Porcelain Angel found; Profile updated: Steven drinks sangria, reads Edgar Allan Poe and knows clockworks) *Examine Open Notebook. (Result: Green Substance) *Examine Green Substance. (Result: Asthma Medication; New Suspect: Archie Rochester) *Ask Archie Rochester what he knows about the murder. (Prerequisite: Asthma Medication identified under microscope; Profile updated: Archie drinks sangria and reads Edgar Allan Poe) *Go to Chapter 3. (No stars) Chapter 3 *Interrogate Miss Melody about the Deputy Mayor. (Available after unlocking Chapter 3; New Crime Scene Unlocked: Parked Car; Profile updated: Elisa reads Edgar Allan Poe) *Investigate Parked Car. (Prerequisite: Elisa interrogated; Clues: Torn Painting, Clock Tower Sketch) *Examine Torn Painting. (Result: Defaced Painting) *Analyze Defaced Painting. (09:00:00) *Ask Larry Rochester why he defaced the Deputy Mayor's portrait. (Prerequisite: Defaced Painting analyzed; Profiles updated: Larry reads Edgar Allan Poe and knows clockworks, Horatio knows clockworks) *Examine Clock Tower Sketch. (Result: Archie's Notes) *Question Archie Rochester about his clock tower design. (Prerequisite: Archie's Notes unraveled; Profile updated: Archie knows clockworks) *Investigate Party Table. (All tasks before must be done first; Clues: Malachite Blade, Locked Trunk) *Examine Malachite Blade. (Result: Blood Sample) *Analyze Blood Sample. (15:00:00; Attribute: The killer has A+ blood type) *Examine Locked Trunk. (Result: Rope) *Examine Rope. (Result: Particles) *Analyze Particles. (09:00:00; Murder Weapon registered: Rope; Attribute: The killer has scratches) *Take care of the killer now! *Go to A Run for Your Money (6/6). (No stars) A Run For Your Money (6/6) *Ask Mr Hwang about his sorcery theory. (Available after unlocking A Run for Your Money) *Investigate Deputy Mayor's Study. (Prerequisite: Steven interrogated; Clue: Bucket of Coal) *Examine Bucket of Coal. (Result: Worn Medallion) *Examine Worn Medallion. (Result: Pentagram) *Ask Lady Highmore about the Rochester rumors. (Prerequisite: Pentagram unraveled; Reward: Fancy Hairstyle) *Consult with Viola on a delicate matter. (Available after unlocking A Run for Your Money) *Investigate Party Table. (Prerequisite: Viola interrogated; Clue: Skull Mask) *Examine Skull Mask. (Result: Horatio's Hair) *Analyze Horatio's Hair. (09:00:00) *Confront Beatrice Pemberton about Viola's findings. (Prerequisite: Horatio's Hair analyzed; Reward: Burger) *Investigate Party Buffet. (Prerequisite: Beatrice interrogated; Clue: Locked Safe) *Examine Locked Safe. (Result: Document) *Confront Horatio Rochester about Viola's parentage. (Prerequisite: Safe unlocked; Reward: 20,000 Coins) *Move on to a new crime (in Grim Chapel)! (1 star) Trivia *The case title comes from the idiom "the heart of the matter," meaning the basic, central or critical point of an issue, topic or problem. *The case was released on a Wednesday instead of the usual Thursday. *This is one of the only four cases in Mysteries of the Past in which Dick has to perform more than one autopsy task, the other three being Overkill, Hold Your Tongue, and Burning Bridges. Navigation Category:Cases Category:Cases in Mysteries of the Past Category:Wolf Street